Translation guide
The concept of returning to a previous state, condition, or owner. In Japanese, this is expressed through various nouns, verbs, and compound terms depending on what is reverting and the context.
Expressing that something goes back to how it was before.
Commonly used for returning to a previous state, position, or status, such as returning to work after leave, or a system reverting to a previous setting.
彼は病気から職場に復帰した。
He returned to work after his illness.
システムがデフォルト設定に復帰しました。
The system reverted to default settings.
General noun meaning 'return' or 'reversion', often used in compound terms or as a standalone noun.
景気の戻りはまだ見られない。
We haven't seen a reversion in the economy yet.
Implies a negative or undesirable reversion, like backsliding or regression.
せっかくの努力が逆戻りだ。
All that effort is going to waste (reverting back).
Specifically refers to atavism or throwback in biology, or a reversion to ancestral traits.
その植物は先祖返りを起こした。
The plant exhibited reversion to an ancestral form.
When property, rights, or an estate returns to a former owner or the state.
Also used in legal contexts for reversion of rights or property.
土地の所有権が国に復帰した。
Ownership of the land reverted to the state.
Used for the return or reversion of territory, rights, or property, often in formal or diplomatic contexts.
Refers to reversion of property or rights to the original owner, often used in legal documents.
In genetics, when a mutation reverts to the wild type.
Standard term for 'reverse mutation' or 'reversion' in genetics.
この菌株は復帰突然変異を示した。
This strain showed reversion (reverse mutation).
Shorter form of 'reverse mutation', common in scientific literature.
復帰変異の頻度を測定した。
We measured the frequency of reversion mutations.
復帰 (fukki) is the most versatile and neutral term for reversion to a previous state, often used in formal or technical contexts. 戻り (modori) is a general noun for 'return' and can be used in everyday language but is less specific. 逆戻り (gyakumodori) carries a negative connotation of backsliding or regression.
The English word 'reversion' is often translated as 復帰, but in many casual contexts, it's more natural to use verb phrases like 元に戻る (moto ni modoru) or 戻す (modosu). Using the noun form can sound overly formal or technical.
ソフトウェアが前のバージョンに戻った。
The software reverted to the previous version.
More natural than using 復帰 in casual tech contexts.
賃貸契約が終了し、物件は家主に返還された。
After the lease expired, the property reverted to the landlord.
Formal legal context.
沖縄の日本への返還は1972年だった。
The reversion of Okinawa to Japan was in 1972.
Upon termination of the contract, the rights revert to the original owner.